Subalpine fir ( Abies lasiocarpa (Pinaceae)) forests in British Columbia (B.C.) are increasingly climate-stressed and vulnerable to pest damage. Following a drought in southern B.C., the balsam bark weevil, Pissodes striatulus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was observed attacking and killing mature subalpine fir trees. This study documents P. striatulus as a tree-killing insect, often associated with western balsam bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), which is considered the most destructive insect pest of subalpine fir. In B.C., this weevil displays a one-year life history, overwintering as late-instar larvae in the bark and as newly emerged or older adults in the duff at the base of attacked trees. Attacked trees are difficult to identify until the tree becomes chlorotic and dies. Larvae may excavate diagnostic chip cocoons in the sapwood before pupating, but most complete their development in the phloem where their galleries quickly become obscured by woodborer activity and other insects. Pissodes striatulus was found at 71% of sites surveyed, and 19% of trees sampled were killed by the weevil acting as the primary invader. The weevil uses downed trees, slash, and susceptible live trees, is long lived, and can switch from primary to secondary attacker, demonstrating its capacity to adapt to available and changing conditions.
This tribute was originally published in the Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Canada, Volume 52(4) (December 2020). We thank the Editor of the Bulletin for granting permission to publish this article.
Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is a key pest of potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) and tomato ( S. lycopersicum ) in western North America. Native Lycium (Solanales: Solanaceae) in the southwestern U.S. have been known since the early 1900s to support populations of B. cockerelli . These shrubs are adapted to survive arid habitats by entering a summer dormancy characterized by partial or complete defoliation. Summer leaf fall by native Lycium in the southwestern U.S. triggers the dispersal of B. cockerelli to new seasonally available hosts including potato. Recently, B. cockerelli in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho) was found to occur on a non-native Lycium known as matrimony vine. Monitoring of matrimony vine at several locations in previous years suggested qualitatively that this non-native shrub in the Pacific Northwest also entered a summer dormancy with effects on psyllids populations. Our study had three principal objectives: 1) examine the genetic and morphological diversity of matrimony vine in potato growing regions of the Pacific Northwest, 2) document when and under what conditions matrimony vine enters summer dormancy, and 3) determine whether summer leaf fall is associated with dispersal of B. cockerelli from these plants. We report that “matrimony vine” in Washington State includes at least two morphologically distinct varieties of a single non-native species, L. barbarum . Like the native Lycium species in the desert southwestern U.S., matrimony vine in Washington entered a period of summer dormancy in response to low soil moisture, and the onset of summer dormancy was associated with dispersal of B. cockerelli from the matrimony vine host, with potato being a potential destination for some of those dispersing psyllids.
Trail pheromones of ants guide nest mates to a food source. Applications of synthetic trail pheromone could guide ants to poisoned food baits, which may expedite the demise of nests and help control invasive ant species. The trail pheromone of the invasive European fire ant (EFA), Myrmica rubra Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), has previously been identified as 3-ethyl-2,5- dimethylpyrazine. To facilitate its development as an operational EFA control tactic, our objectives were to determine the effects of (1) pheromone purity (isometrically pure or isomeric mixture), (2) pheromone dose [2, 20, 200, 2,000 ant equivalents (AEs)], and (3) type of pheromone placement (pheromone encircling a food source rather than leading towards it) on ant recruitment to baits. In laboratory binary choice experiments, isomerically pure and impure trail pheromone prompted similar recruitment responses of ants. The presence of pheromone, irrespective of dose, enhanced the recruitment of ants to food baits, with the dose of 200 AEs eliciting the strongest recruitment responses (2 AEs: 61% of foraging ants; 20 AEs: 57%; 200 AEs: 69%; 2000 AEs: 59%). Pheromone applied in a line leading towards the food bait, but not in a circle surrounding a food bait, was effective in recruiting ants, suggesting that 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine has a guiding but not an attractive function to EFAs.
Andrena ( Melandrena ) transnigra Viereck, 1904, a species originally described from Seattle, is a large, distinctive, and rather common solitary bee that is active in the spring and early summer in western North America. Consideration of morphological variation within females of this species across its range, particularly scopal hair, with subsequent genetic analysis led to the discovery of two distinct DNA barcodes attributed to this species; the 6.6% divergence between the sequences was consistent with the distinctive morphology. As a result, A. cyanura Cockerell, 1916 is here removed from synonymy with A. transnigra and resurrected as a valid species. In addition, A. transnigra paysoni Cockerell, 1924 is also removed from synonymy with A. transnigra and is instead treated as a new synonym of A. cyanura . The male of A. cyanura was previously described as A. transnigra by Bouseman and LaBerge (1979), so a diagnosis is provided to distinguish the two species; thus, the male of A. transnigra is treated for the first time. Both sexes of A. cyanura are distinguished from A. transnigra and other similar Melandrena Perez, 1890. In addition to the morphological and genetic differences between A. transnigra and A. cyanura , each also has a distinctive geography in Canada, albeit overlapping in parts of British Columbia. Andrena transnigra is seemingly restricted to the southern half of British Columbia, while A. cyanura is more widespread, ranging from southern British Columbia, north to the Yukon and as far east as Saskatchewan. The limited molecular data available for these species the United States also supports their status is distinct species, though re-examination of specimens in collections will help to clarify their respective distributions in North America.
Two exotic ambrosia beetles, Trypodendron domesticum (L.) and Xyloterinus politus (Say) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), were captured in 2004 in traps baited with either ethanol alone or ethanol and the aggregation pheromone lineatin at locations outside their known range. The range of T. domesticum in British Columbia is now known to extend along lower Fraser Valley as far north as Yale and along the Highway 3 corridor as far east as Sunshine Valley. Xyloterinus politus was not recovered east of Hope but was trapped as far north as North Bend in the Fraser River Canyon. Neither species was found on the Sunshine Coast or on Vancouver Island. Traps on the Simon Fraser University (SFU) campus captured T. domesticum as early as the week ending 17 February 2004. At both SFU and the University of British Columbia’s Malcolm Knapp Research Forest (MKRF) in Maple Ridge, the majority of T. domesticum were captured well before peak flight of the native striped ambrosia beetle, Trypodendron lineatum (Olivier). The flight of X. politus occurred much later, spanning the months of April and May. Catches of 4,716 T. domesticum in three traps at SFU and 59 X. politus at the MKRF indicate successful establishment of both species. In future, the presence of both species will demand expert taxonomic identification as a prerequisite to implementation and interpretation of pest management tactics to prevent ambrosia beetle damage on conifer and hardwood logs and lumber.
Urban development may cause adverse effects on the ecological integrity of natural areas in cities through habitat loss and fragmentation. Biological communities in habitat fragments may be altered which may, in turn, negatively impact ecosystem services that contribute to the sustainability of urban areas. As such, methods are required to assess anthropogenic impacts on urban habitats. Here, results are presented of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) monitoring in habitat fragments in Coquitlam,BC. Ground beetle diversity in Coquitlam is highest in small, disturbed sites which include both native and introduced European species. Several European carabid species are effective biological indicators of anthropogenic disturbance in urban habitat fragments. Because of the relative ease of collection and identification of carabids, monitoring of carabids by citizen scientists can be used to assess human impacts on urban ecosystems.
We report the first records of Aedes euedes Howard, Dyar, and Knab, and Coquillettidia perturbans (Walker) from Canada’s Yukon Territory, and the first record of Ae. decticus Howard, Dyar, and Knab from British Columbia. We also report range extensions in northern BC for the western treehole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis (Ludlow), the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens L., and the cool weather mosquito Culiseta incidens (Thomson).
Fleas and their host–parasite relationships are understudied in many parts of Canada, yet such relationships may contribute to our knowledge of ecosystems in ways we have yet to understand. A collection of 57 fleas from Pacific marten ( Martes caurina (Merriam)) in Haida Gwaii, off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, led to the collection of five taxa of fleas: the European rat flea, Nosopsyllus fasciatus (Bosc), a squirrel flea, Ceratophyllus ( Amonopsyllus ) ciliatus protinus (Jordan), a mustelid flea, Chaetopsylla floridensis (I. Fox), Hystrichopsylla ( Hystroceras ) dippiei , likely ssp. spinata Holland, a parasite of mustelids and mephitids, and a generalist bird flea, Dasypsyllus gallinulae perpinnatus (Baker). All five species are first records for Haida Gwaii, and C. floridensis is recorded from Canada for the first time. Two new host–parasite relationships support a previous dietary study of marten in Haida Gwaii. This provides further evidence that fleas infesting predators may indicate prey composition within their home ranges.
The advantages of using a computer are examined for storing, updating and cross indexing taxonomic collection data in working and published lists.
Since “The Mosquitoes of British Columbia”, originally published by Dr. Peter Belton 35 years ago, there have been only sporadic and incomplete updates on the mosquito fauna of British Columbia (BC). Darsie and Ward’s (2005) “Identification and Geographical Distribution of the Mosquitoes of North America, North of Mexico” reported the presence and distribution of many species within BC but was continent-wide in scope and did not provide BC-specific information. It also disregarded the presence or distribution of several species.
Each of 48 species of plant-feeding Lepidoptera known to be foreign to North America and to occur in British Columbia is briefly summarized with its history and importance. Those feeding on stored products are not indicated.
